Mao has been training rigorously and without any interruption since the beginning of the season. Of course her stamina is a lot better than Yuna's. But it's not like Yuna has no time to build her condition to 100%. She's got 2 and half months until the ladies event in Sochi. Quite enough time, I'll say.

No doubt, I am just answering to someone who was implying that only Yuna is capable to do such a program like if this would be the most difficult program to do these days

Ooh thanks for that! It looks lovely and I think it's going to be another masterpiece after she works on it more. Oh btw you forgot to change that 3Lz-2T into a solo 3Lz :P.

I know. I edited it this way just to be to able to see the whole program and its choreography (and of course include Yuna's magnificent 3/3). If I have time later I might hunt down a clean version of her solo 3Lutz from a warm-up clip when she was wearing her dress.

Part of the reason for the new structure of Yuna's short programs this season and last has to do with the step sequence rules. She does long step sequence like most skaters to maximize her levels, particularly because she cannot do a level 4 layback with a Biellmann anymore. More time for choreography means less time for elements. Would cutting out those things you mentioned still keep it at level 4?

She had explicitly set out to compete in Zagreb in order to test her elements' levels. They were fine in the SP, but in the LP she got a level 3 step sequence and a level 1 spin. The steps and spins in the LP will be adjusted to fix that, but I don't know about the short. I've noticed over the years, she and David do not tend to make radical changes to her programs over a season. Most changes are pretty subtle--like her LP to Les Mis last year.

I think I can finally put my finger on the change that is needed in the middle of Yuna's LP. Let me use Les Miserables as an example...

The most important moment in Les Miserables was when Yuna landed her 2A+2T+2Lo and then turned around and fired her arms up in the air, conducting the music. From that point on, it no longer felt like I was watching a world championship figure skating performance ... everything from that moment on felt like I was watching an epic work of art that transcended the sport and time itself.

The key to the success of this moment was the music seemed to build on itself. There was a mini-climax with the horns or trumpets or whatever when Yuna finished her step sequence around the 1:30 mark. The music fell off over the next few seconds and the program kind of did a reset.

Next, Yuna was skating very slow at this delicate moment, seemingly vulnerable and introspective, which draws the audience in close to her. Before you know it, as she skates down the ice for her 3Lz, a soft melody has started to develop. Another mini-climax occurs for this part as Yuna lands her jump.

Immediately after, the music resets again and starts to build another segment where the melody is even more powerful. It constantly builds as Yuna glides down the ice, spread eagle and arms extended, and finally reaches crescendo after Yuna lands her 2A+2T+2Lo and fires her arms into the air. This is the magical moment in the performance that brings everything together from a pacing point of view. Everything builds to this moment in the program, and everything after naturally derives from this moment of the program, building towards the final climactic choreo sequence.

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In Adiós Nonino, the analogous moment occurs at Yuna's layback ina bauer into 2A+2T+2Lo. Everything in the program should build to this moment, and everything after should feel natural to follow it. This is the part of the program that brings everything together from a pacing and emotional point of view, ultimately leading to the final climactic choreo sequence.

The problem I was having with this program was that the buildup to this moment seemed a little "off". I kept focusing on the music, but I can't decide if the music fails to build properly or not. That's when suddenly it occurred to me -- there is an emotional problem (or lack thereof) in the middle of the program, around the step sequence. The signature moment around Yuna's layback ina bauer is a triumphant moment, and it should be preceded by negative feelings of mourning or despair. The problem was the lack of emotional buildup in the program, not the music!

What I think would fix everything would be slight changes to the choreo of the latter part of the step sequence. Yuna should be skating more introverted, drawing the audience into her private remembrances, in a similar way to how she drew in the audience during the middle of Les Miserables. At Zagreb performance, her step sequence was either kind of aimless, or extroverted, I can't decide...but it wasn't properly building the emotion through the program.

Instead, imagine the last part of the step sequence, she skates more introverted, we feel more of a lament, and then it emotionally leads into that triumphant moment I keep talking about.

In Les Mis, it was the building momentum of the music that carried the program .... but I think in Adiós Nonino, it must be the building momentum of the emotion that carries the program.

Btw, it all makes sense to me now, when I said on Saturday it seemed like that signature moment in Adiós Nonino came out of nowhere. It did come out of nowhere, emotionally. If everything goes your way, and then something triumphant happens, you feel like "wow, how lucky I am, yet another good thing just happened to me!" And if you are just meandering around all over the place, and then something triumphant happens, you think "wow, that good fortune came out of nowhere!" That's exactly the feeling I get with Zagreb performance of Adiós Nonino ... the performance had no emotional direction, and all of a sudden this triumphant moment comes out of nowhere, and it's not as powerful as it should be.

But if you have bad feelings -- mourning, despair, regret, sad remembrances, etc. -- and all of a sudden something triumphant happens, then you feel "wow, how uplifting!" The moment will be much more magical.

That is exactly what Adiós Nonino needs right now. Which when you think about it, it's not that much. With just that fix, the program will be very, very special, and then I only hope for a more energetic choreo sequence at the end to make it perfection.

The thing I noticed first about both programs, in all honestly, was that her outfits and makeup are stunning She is the best dressed lady on the ice today, no question. Even that yellow (risky colour) looks great on her and the vivid red lips were just the cherry on top!

That said, I found the LP a little underwhelming. For Adidos Nonino, it's quite low key. Not a bad thing all-together, but it does make her seem a bit slower than she actually is, and the overall impact is less engaging and exciting than a more dramatic music selection.

That said, I found the LP a little underwhelming. For Adidos Nonino, it's quite low key. Not a bad thing all-together, but it does make her seem a bit slower than she actually is, and the overall impact is less engaging and exciting than a more dramatic music selection.

I thought the same at first, but now I think it will be magical if she just interprets the music differently at some moments.

Btw, it's ironic that lots of people on GS criticize Yuna for not showing enough emotion during her programs, that they are usually talking about her lack of facial expressions. Actually, this is the laziest way to convey emotion. The person who just smiles or frowns or looks surprised or excited, this is embarrassing and amateur. The proper way to convey emotion on the ice (and Adiós Nonino demonstrates this well) is by the way you skate and use your body. Yuna always does this correctly, but in Adiós Nonino, when the program could use more introspection at slower parts of the music, the choreography had her extending her arms or emoting outward towards the audience. I think the entire program would feel different if she uses the more somber parts of the music to skate within herself, and draw the audience into her private moments of regret. Then when the music rises on more positive notes, she gives fire, tango, and ultimately a sense of triumph and accomplishment.

I thought the same at first, but now I think it will be magical if she just interprets the music differently at some moments.

Btw, it's ironic that lots of people on GS criticize Yuna for not showing enough emotion during her programs, that they are usually talking about her lack of facial expressions. Actually, this is the laziest way to convey emotion. The person who just smiles or frowns or looks surprised or excited, this is embarrassing and amateur. The proper way to convey emotion on the ice (and Adiós Nonino demonstrates this well) is by the way you skate and use your body. Yuna always does this correctly, but in Adiós Nonino, when the program could use more introspection at slower parts of the music, the choreography had her extending her arms or emoting outward towards the audience. I think the entire program would feel different if she uses the more somber parts of the music to skate within herself, and draw the audience into her private moments of regret. Then when the music rises on more positive notes, she gives fire, tango, and ultimately a sense of triumph and accomplishment.

It is really funny that this is precisley the phrase used to defend to Mao when she is accused of lack of facial expressions, mainly when she is compared to Yuna

It is really funny that this is precisley the phrase used to defend to Mao when she is accused of lack of facial expressions, mainly when she is compared to Yuna

We get it. You clearly have favorite, no need to compare your favorite to Kim every time you bump into this thread. It becomes pretty tiring and not really related to the topic. You probably need to learn how to focus and pay attention to what other people are discussing. Deviating from the main topic is a big minus when you write an essay. Your high school education seem to fail to make you master that concept.

Well, Mao has enough stamina to perform a program like this, Mao does 4 triples jumps after the min 2, Yuna does 2, Mao finish her program with a great step sequence, fast, at timing with the music and this is the last section of the program when each figure skater is really tired. And this with spins and step seq level 4.
I definitly don´t think Yuna´s program is more difficult or demanding than Mao´s program

Mao probably has more stamina than Yuna, no doubt about that. However, her program difficulty is only demanding on paper. Mao has not successfully proved that she can actually land the jumps she has planned. Right now, she only has 3Lo, 3F, and 3S(barely). She gets dinged for UR and 2foot landing on her 3A, and flutz. Heck she doesn't even have 3-3.

We get it. You clearly have favorite, no need to compare your favorite to Kim every time you bump into this thread. It becomes pretty tiring and not really related to the topic. You probably need to learn how to focus and pay attention to what other people are discussing. Deviating from the main topic is a big minus when you write an essay. Your high school education seem to fail to make you master that concept.

Well certanly I am not the first person comparing them and I won´t be the last one, Mao will be her main oponent in Sochi and for me is annoying Yuna fans try justify everything about Yuna in this thread, I mean, a thread just to disscus her LP ???, It is Yuna forum???, some people claim she has the most difficult program when it is not, some innocent persons will believe that just because they read it here and now, excuse me, but for me is ironic Yuna fans defend her lack of facial expressions when Mao a lot of times was critized because she was skating with blank face and they just ignoring everything else about her skating, but now as is Yuna, so suddenly it is a higher level of artristry

What on earth does the Magnificent Mao have to do with Yuna's LP? Aren't there rules against trolling in threads? She's a fine skater but has nothing to do with this, nobody brought her up except you in order to derail the conversation.

I thought the same at first, but now I think it will be magical if she just interprets the music differently at some moments.

Btw, it's ironic that lots of people on GS criticize Yuna for not showing enough emotion during her programs, that they are usually talking about her lack of facial expressions. Actually, this is the laziest way to convey emotion. The person who just smiles or frowns or looks surprised or excited, this is embarrassing and amateur. The proper way to convey emotion on the ice (and Adiós Nonino demonstrates this well) is by the way you skate and use your body. Yuna always does this correctly, but in Adiós Nonino, when the program could use more introspection at slower parts of the music, the choreography had her extending her arms or emoting outward towards the audience. I think the entire program would feel different if she uses the more somber parts of the music to skate within herself, and draw the audience into her private moments of regret. Then when the music rises on more positive notes, she gives fire, tango, and ultimately a sense of triumph and accomplishment.

Personally, I like a mixture of both facial and bodily movements. If you want to like her lack of facial expressions in this program, that's fine with me. But for me, it's not enough--whether she is Yuna or not.